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Photographic 

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23  WEST  M.AIN  STtil-ET 

WEHSTEft.  N.V    14580 

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H 


SPEECH 


O    P 


,        MR.  WOOD,  OF  NEW  YORK, 


ON    THE 


OREGON    QUESTION. 


DELIVERED 


IN   THE   HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES, 


if 


JANUARY    31,    1840 


1. 


WASHINGTON: 

PRINTED  AT  THE  UNION  OFFICE 

1846. 


%JJ  p 


u:  ;^ 


^"^hrl- 


fa 
hole    of 


SPEECH. 


N  the  resolution  giving  the  twelve  months*  notice  for  the  termination  of  the 
joint  occupancy  of  the  Oregon  territory. 


Mr.    WOOD  addressed   the  committee   in  sub- 
jnce,  as  follows: 

He    believed,    he    said,    that  all  were  now  con- 
need    that    this  House    was    divided    into   three 
■tinct    divisions.     First,  those  opposed  to  giving 
e   notice;    next,    tho?e   in    favor    of  it,  and  yet 
ere     for     negotiation;    and,    la.stly,     these     who 
ere  in  favor  of  the  notice,  and  yet  insisted  on  the 
hole    of   Oregon    to    54    deg.    40  min. — a  policy 
hich,  if  carried  out,  would  inevitaljly  leait  to  war. 
soneofihe   representatives  of  a  State,  which,  in 
ich  an  event,  would  have  to  do  no  small  share  of 
e   fightinij,   and,  what   wa.s   of  still  mnreconPC-| 
aence,  no  Rmall  share  of  the  payiiii;,  he  frit  obliged  I 
p  offer  sr;nc  remarks  on  this  siiljject.     He  would  I 
Dt  boast   of  vlie   courage   of  his  State,  for  fear  it! 
light  1  e  doubled.     She  was  wi.se  eno'.igh,  he  trust- 1 
1,  "no'  to  vieex  the  fight,"  and  gallant  enough  "not! 
)sluin  i;  vvht-n   it  came."     She  would  pay  all  just' 
eniand."  ?.pon  her,  whethi  r  in  "jold  or  iron.     Thus  j 
lucl;  o'^  vaunting  the  i-oii.mon  srn^e  of  the  House  j 
;oiild  ex;  u:!e,  but  he  couki  not  liave  r..-;kod  puch  an  ; 
ndulgpce  had  he  gone  .itiy  farther  tbati  this.    Had 
le    joiifil    in    the    wild    v.'ar-cry  v.  hicli   had  rune; 
hrough  -'.'i"  Hov.sc,  carrying   us  i^ack  In  the  dark 
get,  or.  r.w  least,  to  that  time  when  .sonio  fiery  Percy, 
ir  lift  D.  ',iglass,riKU-.sliallcd  their  retainers,  not  then,  I 
s  now,  tor  a  fcray  on  the  bailot-box,  or  at  most  on  , 
he  treasury,  1;,;'.  on   border   lands;   had  he  literally  j 
leificd  the   tiger  attributes  of  lii..^  .species,   invoked 
var,  tlie  i^.ourge  and  curse  of  nations,  as  a  blessing  i 
ipoii  his    -riuiriry,   or   exalted    mere  brute  courage  j 
)ver  all  t'lrt  was    intellectual  and  ni.iral  in  man,  as! 
md  bee::  dune  on  this  floor,  hewmi'd  not  only  have  | 
ipologizcd  to  this  House,  bnt  to  Christendom,  for  so 
jross  an  r.ttack  -.ipoii  the  civilizati.>n  of  the  age.  | 

He  admired  the  moral  courage  of  the  gentleman 
'roni  Soi.tii  Carolina,  [Mr.  Rhktt.]  who  was  the 
Smt  on  t};;-;  f.oor  to  lebuke  this  spirit,  and  to  strip 
war  of  it?,  tin^^cl,  and  show  it  as  it  was,  a  naked,  re-  i 
volting  ^  i;elc:oM.  He,  for  one,  thought  not  the  lei?s 
9f  his  bravery,  tor  his  morality.  Talk  to  novel- ! 
reacJiiig  2;irh  and  beardless  boys  of  the  glories  and 


laurels  of  war,  but  not  to  men  of  sense.  Why, 
.^ir,  said  he,  when  I,  the  son  of  a  revolutionary  sol- 
dier, heard  the  revolutionary  w;<r  alluded  to  in  cos'- 
nexion  v/ith  the  one  here  invoked,  1  felt  that  it  wis 
almost  ."*i:;rilege  to  name  them  in  the  f^ame  breath,  it 
was  virtndly  confounding  the  patriot  and  the  brig- 
and. 

Gentlericn,  he  Faid,  had  talked  as  if  ih°  only  rea- 
sons for  rpposition  to  a  war  far  Oregon  vreie  foitn'- 


ed  in  fears  of  England.  Were  there  not  sufficient 
reasons  to  deprecate  a  war,  other  than  our  feara  r 
Grant,  ifyouchoo.se,  for  the  sake  of  the  argument, 
that  England  should  be  worsted  in  every  conflict, 
and  that  your  plans  for  conquest  and  victory,  like 
Captain  Bobadil's,  were  perfectly  feasible,  it  would 
still  be  dear-bought  victory.  \ou  would  have  in- 
flicted greater  evils  on  your  own  country  than  on 
your  enemy's.  You  will  liave  demoralized  your 
country,  centralized  its  government,  swept  away  itu 
democracy,  and  erected  on  its  ruins  a  military  aris- 
tocracy, and  thrown  back  for  years  the  civihzation 
of  mankind.  Nor  would  tiiis  be  all.  You  will  have 
arrested  the  progress  of  liberal  opinions  throughout 
the  world,  and  especially  in  that  very  country  where 
the  princijiles  of  free-trade,  (the  best  of  all  peace  so- 
cictii's,)  are  spreadmg  rapidly,  widely,  and  triuinpli- 
antly,  beiiefitiMg  alike  that  country  and  thi^,  and 
and  which  can  be  arrested  only  by  a  war  between 
the  two  nations. 

Gpntlemen  were  very  much  inclined  to  denounce 
England;  but  the  England  of  1775  or  1812  was  not 
the  England  of  1846.  Paradoxical  as  it  might 
seoni,  the  only  efiectual  way  to  attack  England  was 
by  pcafc,  and  not  by  war.  it  was  tlie  (nily  way 
you  r:)i\\d  roach  her  proud  unfeciiiig  aristocracy, 
who  hi.d  been  built  up  by  war,  and  whom  a  c(\\- 
tiiuiance  of  peace  would  ere  long  put  down.  With 
that  aristocracy,  none  of  us  linJ  any  .^ympatiiy;  but 
he  trustrd  all  had  with  a  down-trodden  pronle, 
.^trngglins  to  unclasp  their  grasp,  and  wlio  had  been 
demoralized,  plundered,  beggared,  and  reduced  to 
starvation  by  glorious  war.  And  if  the  sains  state 
of  things,  and  by  the  same  means,  was  not  produced 
in  this  country,  it  would  not  be  the  fault  of  some  of 
the  gentlemen  who  had  addressed  the  committee; 
and  where  a  population  might  ere  long  be  found, 
sufficiently  degraded  to  hire  themselves  for  a  shil- 
ling a  day,  as  in  England,  to  the  trade  of  wholesale 
murder.  Why  was  this  deadly  hate  manifested 
against  England.'  Say  what  you  wou'd,  with  all 
her  injustice  to  Ireland,  and  to  a  portion  of  her  own 
citizens,  she  .still  had  more  of  civil  and  religious  lib- 
erty than  any  other  country  in  Europe.  There 
the  liberty  of  speech  and  of  the  press  were  inviolate, 
and  the  t)lush  came  sometimes  tingling  to  his  own 
check  when  it  occurred  to  him  that  in  this  respect 
it  was  more  inviolable  in  England  than  in  some 
portions  of  Ills  own  country.  Nor  could  he  forget 
that  the  first  aspirations  for  civil  and  religious  liber- 
ty that  ever  dawned  on  this  world  arose  in  England 
— (lie  same  spirit  that  sent  forth  the  pilgrims  of  Now 


U\ 


I    c 
t   •■ 


Eiiguinii,  inspired  Ilarnpdcn,  Milton,  and  Viine, 
and  brought  the  first  Charles  to  the  block.  An<l 
now,  at  this  day,  among  the  middle  classes  of  Eng- 
land, and  among  thoHc  whose  names  are  great  with- 
out titles,  win'c  many  who  were  manfully  battling 
the  cause  of  :he  people  and  of  human  progress, 
i  nd  w.'io  would  deprecate  d  We\r  wuh  this  country  as 
a  disgrace  to  civiliialion. 

The  arrogance  of  the  British  government,  of 
which  so  much  had  been  said,  was  as  little  to  his 
taste  as  the  profligacy  and  insidious  tyranny  of 
France,  or  the  despotism  of  Russia.  He  conceded 
;hat  all  three  were  hostile  to  republican  institutions; 
and  it  became  us  to  see  to  it  that  no  unjust  act  of 
ours  should  furnish  them  a  pretext  for  an  increased 
hostility.  We  were  told,  too,  of  the  rapacity  of 
England;  so  also  were  France  and  Russia.  The  one 
had  once  laid  under  contribution  the  Sandwich  is- 
lands, had  seized  on  the  Society  islands,  and  driven 
our  own  citizens  from  the  Gaboon  in  Africa.  The 
other,  after  blotting  out  one  nation  (Poland)  from 
ihe  map  of  the  world,  had,  by  subi«idizing  Sweden 
and  Norway,  extended  her  dominions  acrosfiij  the 
eastern  continent.  On  the  south,  .she  commanded 
the  Danube  and  the  Euxine,  wiiile  on  our  north- 
west, she  was  in  posPtssion,  and  hy  treaty,  of  .some 
six  degi-ees  of  this  very  JSpanisli  tit'e.  Who  made 
us  the  avenger  of  the  wrong.?  which  tin  se  nations 
had  intlicted  ?  They  I'ide  their  time.  <-tod  had  not 
made  U3  tlu.ir avenger.  "Vengeance  i.ii  mine,  .iaith 
the  Lord.'  It  was  madness  and  folly  to  run  a  tilt 
against  all  these  powers:  And,  v.'iien  he  read  some 
of  the  resolutions  oO't-'red  in  coianexion  with  this 
subject,  or  listed  to  declaration.s  made  on  this  floor, 
and  in  the  othei  wing  of  the  Capitol,  bre^ithing  de- 
fiance against  the  nations  of  the  earth,  challenging 
them  to  the  fight,  and  boasting  of  the  ease  with  which 
we  could  conquer  them,  he  knew  of  nothing  which 
could  equal  such  conduct,  save  that  of  the  madman, 
v;ho,  throwing  him.self  on  the  track  of  a  railroad, 
challenged  a  locomotive  to  fight,  roundly  asserting 
tliat  It,  was'notliing  but  a  cuok-stov;  on  wheels.  He 
wa.s  constrained  to  believe  that,  with  our  Spanish 
till'?,  we  had  also  accjuired  no  small  share  of  Sjiaii- 
ish  duixotism  and  Spanish  giisconade. 

The 'j;entler.iar!  iVom  Smih  Carv^lina  had  alluded 
to  what  rumor  iiiul  said  in  relation  to  tlie  intrndu-:- 
:ion  of  thio  notice;  that  it  v/as  in  tact,  a  E;a!Vie  to 
noake  great  men  greater,  and  little  men  grciit.  He 
would  assure  the  genilem:in  that  New  York  iiid  no 
iiand  in  :-:uch  a  game.  And  if  the  honorabiegentic- 
man  would  jircsent  i^efore  tlie  grand  in'^,ueht  of  the 
n^Ltion  a?-  i)iii.jances  ail  .•■uK'.h,  and  'he  wluiie  tube  of 
politicians  by  Iradc,  hp  Vi^riijld  bid  him  God  s|-ced. 

Wr^v,  sir,  ,?aid  he,  tlif  curie  of  an  unljorn  poster- 
ity w.ll  rest  on  his  head  v,'ho,  for  liis  own  aggnm- 
disemet,  shall  unnecessarily  jihiiige  thiscoij.'itry  into 
a  war.  Woe  to  him  who  attemi)*R  it.  It  had  been 
asserted  on  that  tioor  that  no  one  could  be  the  next 
president  that  had  not  joined  in  this  war-cry  and 
shouted  for  the  v..hole  of  Oregon.  He  trusted  he 
should  never  see  the  day  when  a  mere  popular  cry, 
or  mere  availability,  would  constitute  the  qualifica- 
tion of  a  candidate  for  the  presidency.  He  had 
voted  t'or  iVIr.  Polk  certainly  not  because  he  was  in 
favor  of  Texas,  or  liad  chimed  in  with  any  other 
popular  cry,  but  because  he  Ijclieved  him  honest  and 
capable,  and  because  he  had  confidence  in  his  integ- 
rity. Much  had  been  said  about  another  game  or 
another  compact — the  whole  of  Oregon  and  the 
whole  of  Texas.  If  a  game  was  playing  he  had  no 
part  in  that  either.     If  a  compact,  he  had  already 


shown  by  his  vote  in  what  light  he  regarded  out 
part  of  it,  at  least.  And  yet  it  had  l)een  suggested 
that  his  rote,  and  of  those  who  like  him  had  Toted 
against  the  annexation  of  Texas,  or  rather  against 
a  clause  in  iis  constitution,  had  been  influenced  by 
a  certain  distingui.shed  northern  statesmtin,  [Mr. 
Wright.]  and  inferences  had  been  drawn  therefrom 
in  relation  to  that  gentleman  alike  unjust  and  un- 
true. He  knew  nothing  of  that  gentleman's  opin- 
ions either  in  regard  to  Texaa  or  Oregon,  except 
what  the  public  knew.  He  did  not  repre.scnt  him 
or  any  other  individual.  He  had  acted  in  accord- 
ance with  the  views  he  had  always  entertained.  It 
was  a  matter  in  which  he  could  know  no  man;  nor 
would  he  sufTer  the  opinions  of  any  mar.  to  come 
between  him  and  the  convictions  of  his  own  con- 
science. Nor  had  he  voted  against  the  aanexation 
of  Texas  from  any  supposed  hostility,  as  had  been 
intimated,  to  the  South.  He  had  acted  .'"rom  no 
such  motive,  though  he  had  already  .•scen  (and 
might  again  sec)  the  peculiar  institutions  of  the 
South  made  a  .sioi;  qua  non  qualification  for  the  pre- 
sidency, and  those  ssime  institutions  made  a  subject- 
matter  of  iniUruction  to  a  tbreign  minister  by  adistin- 
iruished  southern  statesman  then  holding  a  high  sta- 
tion in  the  government.  To  that  gentleman  (personal- 
ly unknown  to  him)  he  meant  no  disrespect.  He 
would  give  him  credit  for  his  every  virtue,  and  for 
the  fact  thathi.'t  position,  for  the  time  beir.:j;  at  least, 
was  defined.  He  believed  that  that  gentleman  and 
his  friends  in  this  House  were  sincere  in  their  oppo- 
sition to  this  notice.  They  viewed  it  as  a  war  meas- 
ure. In  this  he  differed  with  them.  Did  he  view 
it  in  the  same  light  he  .should  hesitate  long  before 
he  gave  it  the  sanction  of  hi :  vote.  But  i^e  did  not 
so  view  it.  The  giving  of  this  notice  of  itself  can- 
not lead  to  a  war.  That  depended  on  subsequent 
action — upon  the  carrying  out  the  ultra  vtswa  ii.  re- 
lation to  Oregon  which  had  been  avowed  in  that 
House.  The  "masterly  inactivity,"  of  which  so 
much  had  been  said,  by  bringing  the  citizens  of  the 
two  countries  in  collision,  would  sooner  or  later 
lead  to  "'ar.  Sei^ing  the  whole  of  Oregon  by  "mas- 
terly activity"  would  inevitably  lead  to  war;  and 
why  the  latter  course  had  been  called  n:asterly  he 
knew  not,  unless  it  was  the  conduct  of  masters,  and 
very  young  masters  too.  He  would  not  at  this 
stageof  the  deliatc  discuss  the  question  of  title.  He 
would  merely  lay  down  a  few  positions,  '..-ithout  re- 
course to  the  n)u.«ty  records  from  which  ro  liad  ile- 
rivcd  them,  which  other.s  coidd  and  wouh'.  he  trust- 
ed, examine  for  themselvca.  These  po.«^it:ons  he 
thought,  on  examination,  would  be  foii-id  correct 
and  true.  There  were  very  few  v/ho  did  ;:  ot  l)elieve 
that  Great  Ilritain  had  a  claim  of  some  kind 
(M-  other  to  the  territory  in  dispiue.  Whe- 
ther her  title  was  derived  from  the  Nootka 
Sound  treaty,  from  the  exploration  of  Mackenzie  and 
thy  discovery  of  Fras'^r's  river,  from  p:'o:cimity  or 
contiguity,  or  from  our  own  concesaioiis,  it  was  im- 
material, and  he  should  not  now  stop  to  consider. 
He  believed  our  own  title  south  of  49"  "Aas  unques- 
tionable; and  if  the  position  taken  by  the  .gentleman 
from  Indiana  [Mr.  Owkv]  was  correct,  and  he 
thought  it  was,  our  title  was  good  to  A'}'-'  30';  be- 
cause it  was  asserted  that  Spain  had  a  settlement  at 
the  time  of  the  Nootka  convention,  at  that  point, 
and  Great  Britain  had  abandoned  all  claim  to  any 
territory  south  of  it.  If  he  had  any  doubts  in  this 
matter,  it  was  as  to  the  fact,  whether  any  bona  fide 
settlement  ever  had  been  made  in  the  disputed  ter- 
ritory until  recently,  and  since  tlio  commencemenl 


of  '.hiS 
clainiP, 
>vhich, 

tlO".,    n 

of  Ihi^ 
c'aave 
the  Spt. 
he   .'i 


IB  tlie 
nr.'.io.'!? 

It  V,i 

on    ti'f 

v;il;it 
cr  neg 

Ce-^K 

With  : 

thrre 

all  >."- 

line   ( 

trea'v 

co'i'.  ; 

hful  : 

be  i-i; 

i'lg  V 

nboiii 

fid 

witho'j 

rush. 

tiip.t   n, 

t\m\  01 

lion 

to   -.iie 

lay  oe! 

Fugev 

were  a; 

rcsGce, 

rct-.ial') 

bewet'i! 

the  fir;;! 

cr  heat 

of  thJi; 

south 

coni::ifi 

unle;-.') 

refle:'tji 

not  ver 

•will  ■ 


rori-i' 


fit  he  rcgarJnd  one 
lad  l)een  suggested 
ike  him  hud  rotcd 
,  or  rather  against 
een  influenced  by 

Btatesmlin,   [Mr. 

drawn  therefrom 
5   unjust   and  un- 
gentle man's  opin- 
ar  Oregon,  except 
not  represent  him 
d  acted  in  accord- 
's entertained.     It 
now  no  nnan;  nor 
iny  mar.  to  come 
of  hit?   owii   con- 
ist  the  annexation 
:ility,  as  had  been 
ad  acted  .'"rom  no 
•eady    .sjcen   (and 
istituiions  of  the 
;aiion  for  the  pre- 
is  made  a  subject- 
ini.?ter  by  a  di.stin- 
oldingnhigh  sta- 
tlemaii  (personal- 
)  di.sresp'ect.     He 
y  virtue,  and  for 
ne  beir^'  at  least, 
It  gentleman  and 
sre  in  their  oppo- 
it  as  a  war  meas- 
I.     Did  iie  view 
tatc  long   before 

But  i)e  did  not 
ce  of  it.self  can- 

I  on  subsequent 
ultra  viow.s  ii.  re- 
avowed  in  that 
,"  of  which  so 

le  citizens  of  the 
.sooner  or   later 
iregor  by  "ma.'?- 
ad  to    war;  and 
led  r;:asteily  he 
of  in  asters,  and 
)iild  not  at  this 
on  of  title.     He 
on.-5.  './ithoiit  re- 
icl:  re.  !)ad  de- 
wnul('.  he  trust- 
!e  popi'ions    he 
foii'id  correct 
did  lot  l)elieve 
of  some    kind 
i.^piitp.      Whe- 
tlic    Nootka 
"Mackenzie  and 
p-oxiinity  or 
ions,  it  was  im- 
o|)  to  consider. 
9"  w  ag  unques- 
tlu'  irentlernan 
orrcct.  and    he 
to   4!.>-"30';  be- 
a  .settlement  at 
at  that  point, 

II  claim  to  any 
'  doutits  in  this 
r  any  bona  fide 
e  disputed  ter- 
-ommencement 


of  Vhis  controversy.  'le  be!;eved  t'rifit  we  iiail 
claims,  founded  upon  tApIorn'.ion  ,\:n\  diurovery, 
which,  patting  the  Spaiusli  title  o  it  of  the  (piea- 
tion,  -would  carry  .>a  uo  iV.  lean*  to  49'^.  So.iiti 
of  ihis  parallel,  Great  Britain  had  claimed  no  ex- 
claa  ve  sovereignty.  On  tlie  wtlier  hand,  .i3ide  from 
t)ie  Spanish  'I'.le,  jmd  by  ex..l(iration,  anil  discovery, 
he  had  yet  to  learn  that  v/e  had  any  t.'.le  to  the 
cojntry  north  of  5'2^,  and  cast  of  the  straits  of  Fucn. 
Mr.  Riish  had  conceded  to  Gre.-it  Britain  all  iio'ih  of 
5?;'^.  What  tiien  was  ;!ie  qjcstion  i.t  ;^"^-.,i':'-  Wiial 
ie  the  matter  at  ttake  which  wa-T  to  pkmgc  two  frcat 
na'.io.os,  tin;  f!..:,st  civiiized  ;n  tiie  vi^o^kl,  in'o  a  warr 
It  v,as  n  strip  of  land  iibout  two  degree:)  in  breadth, 
on  the  uninhabited  north v/ent  cnaut,  of  doubtful 
value  and  oat  little  Known.  Wo.ilJ  yoa,  nir,  figlit 
or  negotiate  for  tliis? 

Cesidf-j,  and  In  addition  to  all  thi"? — and  tl/n  wan 
■With  .■iim  the  greatest  difE.-.'.ilty — tnegovor.men!  Iiad 
tliri'.e,  with  a  perieci  Knowlou'.^c  of  ita  title  and  ni 
nil  s.ii'Cerity,  oifered  to  divide  tins   tei'ritory  nn  the  j 

line  niarkvd  o;/.  by  ilie 
li'if  of  proxJ)):)ity    and 


line   of  49^'.    'I'ii.3  was  the 
trea'y    of  Utreriit,  and  :!;e 


tontguity.     \Vcu;d 


.;o  to    war  "'or   'vhat  yim 


hful  tiiree  times  otTer<>'i  to  give  ;rvvnyf  Would  >ve 
be  j.isli.'ied  t-.eloreGoJ  f.nd  the  v.orld  Wi  :c;';'i!y  seek- 
ing v.-ar  on  s^ich  a  ip.\;r.'Rl?  G'civ.lti'ncn  liail  talki'd 
fiboiit   the  j;rc?.t  valae  of  the  country  nkirih  of  40'", 


ouhl  no. 


f.'id    ;:one   of  Vheri  h^ul  ass'ji'.cd,  ho  ln:!ievcd,  titat 
Without  the  v.'hole,   r-r.-;{.'()n 
rufih.     We  itnew  .n  ■.liiii'-.;  o 
tiiat   n^.vi;!leh     All    that  h;-.d 


be  vvortb  a 

tlic   coanti'v  north  of 

i'':':n  ''-.'.id    of  itf;  vahic 


on 


th?  irnagina- 


find  oenu'y  were  mere  draughts 
lion.  Cap*.  W-lkep  iiad  i-cn;':r''.il  bri  "xo'oration 
to  the  south  of  49'-'.  All  that  v;a«  va'.'.ible  to  uk 
lay  u<;!ow  that  liiie.  The  mogt  valuable  iia;-i)oi-o, 
Fuge'.':j  rtoiind,  llood'a  canrl,  and  .-\.l;.ni;\'.ity  iolel, 
were  a;!  !?()Uth  of  49'^.  The  genthirriiui  from  Tcii- 
jiescee,  [Mr.  J-.-nMsojj,]  'lati  v.aid  th;\t  the  tcrr:tory 
tictuti'ly  :!  di?»p';.*e  betwet^n  the  two  couiMrier,  lay 
beween  40'-' and  49°.  Thi:::  wai  nvw  M  i'.iin,  r.iul 
the  first  time  lie  iiad  ever  heard  of  i;..  ilc  had  I'ov- 
er  heard  of  any  ont  who  rontenplate.'  a  .-'t^itlemen* 
of  t!i.;:  ditficully  ij-o:^  any  line  a;^  a  ba.^i*  larthrr 
soutti  ti'.an  49^.  it  !iaJ  h'jen  ".aid  I  hat  '\:ner'';;'.n 
cony-ier;-iai  fite:';;- 
Vinle.:5j  t!i';  Br.f.'n 
refle  ■tion  .;pon  the 
rot  rcr-iiit.  Fo."  v, 
v.'lihh  Airteri-nr-.s 
Brit'.3n,  o;-a~y  othe;-  rir 
F.nii  u.i'...tr,p  .r.  F.iiy  c:.tt 
cans  Vt'.-.ntcd  wr, 
left  to   ;'-\ci'.':f!'!v« 


=:e  CO  '.■t  not   -yM' 
■,vt-.v;   d.'ive  )  oiit. 


n.) 
■■la- 


:opi 


'•  III 


•lia;-;v:l 


>y   s:u 


10   i 


cominer. 


V;.tlH-i.t 


ancoi  porated  cct;;;pany. 
erniiicnt.     The  dif;'"-. 


•he  [.;■.',;■. 
!>ef.vf!C;n 


i^i  ti'-'t 
All  :<:: 
:;:i  i  V. 

Oil    i;:" 

1,1  s 


jas 


(i:f;cren:c  ootwun    tn.*  city 


rora'at^d    ."O'iL'erns, 


i'.nd 


•ho?!.'    ciiiUH  v.'hici'  d:; 


on    thienifieives 
here,  in  pi.'r^ai'.ig 


1  i'.^  Orc'i;on 

J 'ills  Wii;-'  a 

■    :\i:  \v"ould 

:\-:k   in 

itii  !l>e 

■(••one:;-  iviv'l. 
,t  tn'i.  ArriCi- 
.",  ••: '^^-.-M 

:'.y    T'oo   in 

c-.ny  powerful 

;■<;  o"  ;;i!.'   I'.iv- 

i:','il   shero   iy 

y- 

pend 


oflerini]  to  co'.iipro- 


wiihin  the  year  refuse  to  negotiate,  England  would 
then  fill  Canada  and  Oregon  with  troops;  the  West 
Indicrt,  Ikrniuda,  and  Halifax  with  her  ahips-of-war 
unti  war-.Mteanior^.  She  would  strike  no  blow,  but 
wait  our  ai'iion;  and  should  we  attempt  tA  take  the 
svliole  of  Oregon,  or,  mistakenly  rclymg  on  diaat- 
fcciion  in  C.iiiada,  attempt  its  annexation,  wc  should 
havtt  wfu  to  the  knife.  Judging  from  the  past,  he 
had  too  much  reii<\nce  on  the  moderation  and  wis- 
dom of  the  PiesKlenl  to  suppose  he  would  take  any 
H'ich  course.  He  believed  the  administration  would 
negotiate,  anil  settle  ih'n  nucition  by  the  law  of  na- 
tion:;, and  not  by  the  l.^w  of  popular  acclamation. 
He  would  not  so  far  distrust  the  g  )od  seuse  of  either 
nation  as  to  Mupfiosc  that,  at  a  time  when  their  com- 
mercial relatioin  were  becoming  more  and  more  in- 
timate and  so  beneficial  to  each  other,  they  would 
mndly,  iibndly,  and  fooli  ihly  rush  on  war  to  adjust 
a  disputed  title  they  never  could  .icttlc  by  fightmg, 
but  only  by  iiegotidtion  at  last;  and  he  would  say, 
that  if  we  went  iriio  auch  a  war,  v/e  should  .soon 
Ic.s'.n  the  ditrerence  between  defonding  our  own 
country  and  carryintt  on  an  aa;grc^Pive  war  a^ain.st 
niiotlier.  li'it,  fir,  said  lie,  v/hilo  thing.!  woru  in  their 
prcHcnt  .'ii'u.Ttion,  it  'itrnck  him  that  we  aliould  do 
thnt  wlu'di  at  aP  tin'-ci  it  v.'as  wi'f  and  well  to  do — 
fmivih  every  foriificition,  and  furni:5h  them  with  ord- 
n.'\ncfi — l,f)0()  picre?j  of  which  were  ;hcn  needed  tor 
the  purpooc — refir  the  navy,  increase  your  v/ar- 
steamcr?!,  or,  at  least,  provide  the  materials  for  a 
stonin-!ii:\rii"i(!. 

But  the  truth  wa'i,  no  one  believed  ni  war;  public 
opinion  wa^!  op[Mifiei!  'o  i',  and  .so  much  onpo.scd, 
that  they  wcie  not  i^nly  avcn'sc  to  taking  any  .'stepa 
to  prepare  for  if,  hut  he  apprehended  that  v^ith 
many  there  \va=i  anaver'^won  to  making  the  neces- 
sary appropriation  for  a  peace  e.'=.ta;)hRhinfint.  He 
wa.s  for  ^i'.  in;;;  the  notice,  but  not  for  piudiing  ulte- 
rior mea.sure-.  to  mich  an  extreme  na  to  preclude  ne- 
j'otiation.  'I'he  connfy  did  not  h.eliove  that  meas- 
ures would  be  :jo  prcp^ed,  end  it  did  not,  therefore, 
apprehend  a  war.  Rnf  should  he  be  mii-taken  in 
thi.i,  and  war  Mh.onld  come,  it  was  not  imp..is:ve 
courage  alone  that  could  carry  us  s;if  dy  thro',i2;h  :'.. 
The  cxperirrico  of  t'.vo  wan  had  f.tlly  tcHteJ  '.he 
truth  of  thin  lis.iertion.  It  had  tailc;'.  i:i  liie  war  of 
the  rovolutioii,  thou'^h  i!r']'"'d  ok  l)y  tl'.e  roost  ardent 


iOSMca'l  (jf  •, iie  goveroniea:.  Ana 
i-.e  vy-f,  I'd  ".ay  that  the  t'opalarity 
of  the  Pie'=ident,  ere.".!  as  it  -'vaa,  and  tle^t-rvcdly  so, 
wa3  owing  to  i:;s  inodcnv.ion  and  wisdom:  It  rc-u- 
ed  Oil  lu~;  49'^\  not  o.)  !^-^  ;j4<^  40  ;  and  l;r  rcprftted 
to  'ite  resohi'.oni-'  otiVr*-.!  in  fii;  }  louse  v.vMai'y  re- 
elect'or,  on  his  ;'o.i  •:••"  !;'i;i  hi-j  pr?.(lece^3so.■s  in  thi.s 
tnatter;  iir.d  he  had  }":t  to  iearii  wliethpr  th'  y  ■.vro 
the  I'i.oe  of  it:a:  foigiveiie;: -  an  honor.-.iile  i;<'iiile- 
man  had  kindly  grn-.t^d  mm  lo 
mise  on  the  line  ot  4i)'-\ 

If  th.s   notice   slio.il'l    oe   ;nven,  and    we  should 


patri'ititun;   and    the  ji-reai 


I'adci 


Fitr. 


( Was'iiiv.won)  had  left  .'.n  rc'^.ord  hr;  opinion  of  its 
inelHcif  \\i-y:  VVa.'?  thin  to  he  a  v.-ar  of  a  .single  ^-^.n- 
paifp,  It  nii'j,!'!  i\^'^  MiM:.h;  bn'.  it  v/o.d  '  hf,  a  [irotract- 
c:l  ..-■  -o;,"  in  whici;  cmI  cv:'.\:::\v  :\\.-  m:  lYr-.z- 
f^arv  a:-  nierc  inipuh'ive  •oir;T:!;c.  Thuf  the  .^JU-Ter- 
iitg'',  tin:  p.  ivatio-;;,  and  the  ppRtilon'-e  of  a  camp 
would  >'oon  break  |o^vn,  however  enthusiastic  at 
ttrs't.  War  wa-i  now  n  ticience;  and  rhould  it  break 
out  between  the  two  vvuit'-ie:!,  it  wa.s  not  to  be 
loii'.^iit  behiiid  cotton  h,i'.;'»,  ov  in  thn  forest  glade 
with  the  ;itl'\  l)at  Ofi  another  and  a  dhfer-ait  battle- 
field, amid  the  crorvdng  of  bayonct^i,  \]\?.  flaahing  of 
r.:alireH,  llie  tlumder  of  cannon,  and  thn  v.duzy.ing  of 
.diell.!  and  F.uyhan  ahot — fcon  the  o-'ean  wave,  i.nan 
to  man,anil  itLi'i '"  i,'^"i-  And  sure  he  wa.s,  before 
thrco  vcart  had  come  and  gone,  all,  S'Ave  thoKC  v/ho 
iMoied'iu  the  lir'pn''ousne;---,  of  the  camp,  or  who  bat- 
tened i''i\  the  mls.'iicT  of  the  hiimai".  race — v.-ho,  like 
vultm-rn,  hovore  1  ^vc;  the  baltlc-feld,  or,  like  hye- 
noM,  preyed  upon  tiic  slain — would  Vv'ish  for  pen'e  as 
firdeihly  a.^  did  the  venerable  gcntlci^mn  from  Ma.-?- 
,-:at'hu.-ett(f  anil  his  coevals  previom  to  the  treaty  of 
Ghent,  and  whose  advent  would  be  hailed  by  both 
nc.'ions  a-!  the  be'it  gift  of  Heaven. 


